1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an automatic headrest positioning apparatus for motor vehicles. More particularly, the invention concerns an apparatus for placing headrests each disposed on a seat back of a seat at positions optimal to a plurality of sitters (i.e. driver and/or passengers) sitting on the seats of a motor vehicle which have been displaced to positions optimal to the respective sitters.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The headrest for a motor ehicle is usually supported by a headrest holder disposed on a seat back. Adjustment of the headrest in respect of height and inclination thereof is conventionally effected through manual operation of an adjusting mechanism provided in combination with the headrest holder or electrically driving the adjusting mechanism with the aid of switches.
The position of the headrest is statutorily determined so that certain safety conditions can be satisfied with the aim of protecting the sitters from being inJured upon collision or abrupt stoppage of the vehicle. However, the adjustment of the height and inclination or tilt of the headrest is in the large part performed by the sitter on the basis of his or her subjective judgment. Since the adjustment requires troublesome procedure, there arises very frequently such a situation where the headrest is not indexed to the optimal position.
Everytime a sitter is replaced by another, the position of the associated headrest has to be optimally renewed in accordance with the figure or physical frame of the latter.
Further, the driver's seat is required to be indexed to an optimal position upon exchange of the driver or in dependence on the running states of the vehicle. In that case, the position of the headrest has to be adjusted in conformance with the replacing driver and the renewed position of the seat.